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Green Bay Packers: Mason Crosby aims to kick issues

By Tyler DunneMilwaukee Journal Sentinel

Posted:
11/20/2012 12:01:00 AM CST

Updated:
11/20/2012 07:53:51 AM CST

After missing two earlier field goal attempts, Green Bay kicker Mason Crosby is embraced by teammate C.J. Wilson (98) after making one during the waning moments of the fourth quarter of their game on Sunday, November 18, 2012, in Detroit, Michigan. (Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/MCT)

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Maybe people didn't hear him the first time. On Monday, coach Mike McCarthy again made it clear where he stands.

"Mason Crosby is my kicker," the Green Bay Packers coach said. "So, we can just stop it right here."

So no Ryan Longwell. No Nate Kaeding. The Packers are standing by their $14.75 million kicker. Crosby's cold streak continued Sunday, Nov. 18, in Green Bay's 24-20 loss to the Detroit Lions. After missing from 50 and 38 yards, Crosby has now made only 6 of his last 13 kicks.

The Packers say he's been sharp in practice. During the week, he's hitting the ball fine.

The challenge now may be getting Crosby back on track mentally. Since his rookie year in 2008, he's never been in a rut this bad, this deep.

"Mason really needs to trust his process," special teams coach Shawn Slocum said. "He has kicked thousands of kicks. He knows what to do. We need to go and have a good week of practice and he needs to start making field goals. And that's it."

Slocum is the one working with Crosby day in and day out. His message to Crosby? "Simplify the process."

Slocum doesn't want Crosby to be consumed by the result of a kick. And he doesn't want Crosby to over-think the minute details that go into each kick. It has to be a natural, free-flowing practice.

"If you think about a bunch of things prior to the kick then you can clutter your mind," Slocum said. "What he needs to do is just line up, kick the ball down the target line and I think it will fall into place and he'll make the kick.

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Slocum scoffed at the notion of bringing in a kicking specialist.

"No. I do a lot of research," he said. "I think I can coach kickers with anybody. I do all that type of research. I have a career of coaching, coaching special teams; I don't feel a need to do that."

If you take the Packers at their word and actions, the full trust is there. Yes, McCarthy did decide to go for it on fourth and 4 early in the first quarter rather than attempt a 49-yard field goal. But the Packers also insist they would have let Crosby try from 58 yards if nobody jumped offsides on their fake-of-a-fake play later in the game.

Tight end Tom Crabtree shifted to draw the Lions offsides and was flagged himself for an abrupt shift.

"His range is greater than that," Slocum said. "He needed to make it through the uprights. Prior to that opportunity, he missed two. We still have confidence in him, and Mason's our kicker and we're going to try to get it right."

Slocum affirmed that Crosby is "strong mentally." And it probably helps that McCarthy instantly came to the kicker's defense after the Packers' win.

Green Bay typically sticks with its personnel through thick and thin. Rather than signing and releasing players through the course of the year, the Packers have preferred to trust their youth, player development and let players work through tough times. The Packers made an investment in Crosby, too. He re-signed with the team before the 2011 season at $14.75 million over five seasons.

"He has a job to do. He's not doing it," McCarthy said. "He recognizes it. I recognize it, and he'll work through it. I know he can do it."

Rodgers 'exceptional'

The Packers' offense only generated 17 points. Explosive plays were lacking. Statistically, by his standards, quarterback Aaron Rodgers had a very pedestrian day at Ford Field.

But that's not what McCarthy saw. On Monday, the coach went out of his way to say just how impressed he was with Rodgers' poise and execution in a difficult environment.

"I thought our quarterback was exceptional," McCarthy said. "When you think of Aaron Rodgers you think of big plays and tight spirals and just doing all these big things. A game like that for a quarterback is hard. I think that shows you the true character of a tough, championship quarterback, just to stay the course."

Rodgers finished 19 of 27 for 236 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. McCarthy expressed plenty of regret Monday with how he called the game. As the Lions kept two safeties far back and refused to blitz, the Packers continued to stick with the run. James Starks finished with 74 yards on 25 carries.

The offense was unable to stretch the field, and the reconfigured offensive line had rough moments. Against a two-deep shell like this, it can be difficult to stay patient. But when the game was on the line, Rodgers pulled through with a fourth-quarter comeback.

Eventually, he was able to take charge.

"He was productive, he was under pressure at times and he handled it well, didn't let it affect him," Clements continued. "When we needed him to play well at an important time, he did."

Hayward earning it

At some point, Charles Woodson (collarbone) will return and the Packers will have to decide who plays where.

It won't be easy. At Detroit, Green Bay's horde of first- and second-year defensive backs held Matthew Stafford to a paltry 54.0 passer rating. But after a fifth interception on the season and five pass break-ups, it's going to be awfully difficult to take Casey Hayward off the field.

Again, he was a difference-maker in Green Bay's defense.

"Guys make plays," defensive coordinator Dom Capers said, "we're going to try to find ways to get them on the field."

Hayward has 37 tackles, 14 break-ups and five interceptions. He started fast Sunday with a pair of break-ups on Detroit's first drive, anticipating and timing throws to Brandon Pettigrew and Calvin Johnson.

"I like the way our guys are responding at this point in time in terms of starting fast, whether it's at home or on the road," Capers said. "He had some really good plays those first couple of series."

Cornerback Davon House and safeties M.D. Jennings and Jerron McMillian all also made key plays Sunday. When Woodson and cornerback Sam Shields return, Capers will have difficult decisions to make.

"The more these guys play, the more confidence you have you can put them in those situations," Capers said.

Raji may be OK

The only injury to come out of Detroit shouldn't linger. Nose tackle B.J. Raji limped off the field in Detroit with an ankle injury, but McCarthy indicated that this one isn't as bad as the ankle injury that sidelined Raji for two games earlier this season.

No other injury updates were provided. Raji has 10 tackles in eight games this season.

More Green

In addition to anger over his own play-calling, McCarthy also wishes he would have used running back Alex Green more in Sunday's game. After averaging 19 carries per game over the last four contests, Green didn't touch the ball once Sunday. Starks received the full bulk of the carries.

"As far as our running game, we left a lot of production on the field was my conclusion after going through the tape and going through the grading sessions with the coaches," McCarthy said. "And frankly, Alex Green not getting carries was a poor performance by myself managing how we were running the ball. We'll continue forward working both James and Alex and get those guys ready in our preparation for the Giants."